Architecture of a multiple-engine helicopter propulsion system, and corresponding helicopter

ABSTRACT

An architecture of a propulsion system of a multi-engine helicopter is disclosed, comprising turboshaft engines that are connected to a power transmission gearbox. It comprises: a hybrid turboshaft engine that is capable of operating in at least one standby mode during a stable flight of the helicopter; a pack for quickly restarting said hybrid turboshaft engine in order to bring said engine out of said standby mode and to reach a nominal operating mode; an auxiliary power unit that is connected to said electrotechnical restart pack by means of a first AC/DC converter and is capable of providing said restart pack, on demand, with power required for bringing said hybrid turboshaft engine out of said standby mode.

1. TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an architecture of a propulsion system of a multi-engine helicopter, in particular a twin-engine or three-engine helicopter, and to a helicopter comprising a propulsion system having an architecture of this kind.

2. TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

As is known, a twin-engine or three-engine helicopter has a propulsion system comprising two or three turboshaft engines, each turboshaft engine comprising a gas generator and a free turbine which is rotated by the gas generator and is rigidly connected to an output shaft. The output shaft of each free turbine is suitable for inducing the movement of a power transmission gearbox (referred to in the following by the abbreviation PTG), which itself drives the rotor of the helicopter which is equipped with blades having a variable pitch.

Furthermore, it is known that, when the helicopter is in a cruise flight situation (i.e. when it is progressing in normal conditions, in AEO (all engines operative) mode, during all the flight phases apart from transitional phases of take-off, landing or hovering flight), the turboshaft engines operate at low power levels, below their maximum continuous output (hereinafter MCO). In some arrangements, the power provided by the turboshaft engines during a cruise flight can be less than 50% of the maximum take-off output (hereinafter MTO). These low power levels result in a specific consumption (hereinafter SC), which is defined as the relationship between the hourly fuel consumption by the combustion chamber of the turboshaft engine and the thrust provided by said turboshaft engine, which is approximately 30% greater than the SC of the MTO, and thus a reduction in the efficiency of the gas turbines (or an increase in the SC).

In order to reduce this consumption during cruise flight (or during holding on the ground for example), it is possible to stop one of the turboshaft engines and to put it into a mode known as standby. The active engine or engines then operate at higher power levels in order to provide all the necessary power, and therefore at more favourable SC levels.

In the following, “economical flight phase” will denote a flight phase during which at least one turboshaft engine is in standby mode, and “conventional flight phase” will denote a flight phase during which none of the turboshaft engines are in standby mode.

In FR1151717 and FR1359766, the applicants proposed methods for optimising the specific consumption of the turboshaft engines of a helicopter by the possibility of putting at least one turboshaft engine into a stable flight mode, referred to as continuous flight mode, and at least one turboshaft engine into a particular standby mode that it can leave in emergencies or in a normal manner, according to need. A transition out of the standby mode is referred to as ‘normal’ when a change in the flight situation requires the turboshaft engine in standby to be activated, for example when the helicopter is going to transition from a cruise flight situation to a landing phase. A normal transition out of standby mode of this kind occurs over a period of between 10 seconds and 1 minute. A transition out of the standby mode is referred to as an ‘emergency’ when a there is a power failure or a power deficit in the active engine, or when the flight conditions suddenly become difficult. An emergency transition out of standby mode of this kind occurs over a period of less than 10 seconds.

A turboshaft engine leaves a standby mode and transitions from an economical flight phase to a conventional flight phase for example by means of a pack for restarting the turboshaft engine, which pack is associated with a device for storing energy, such as an electrochemical store like a lithium ion battery, an electrostatic store like a supercapacitor, or an electromechanical store like a flywheel, which allows both the turboshaft engine to be provided with the energy required for restarting and a nominal operation mode to be reached.

Such a pack for restarting the turboshaft engine in standby has the disadvantage of substantially increasing the total weight of the turboshaft engine. The benefit in terms of fuel consumption obtained by placing the turboshaft engine in standby is thus partly lost by the excess weight brought about by the restart device, the device for storing energy required for the restart, in particular when each turboshaft engine is equipped with an emergency restart device of this type.

The inventors have thus sought to solve problems which are incompatible a priori, namely the possibility of placing the helicopter in the economical flight phase, i.e. of placing at least one turboshaft engine in standby, without increasing the weight of the overall propulsion system too much.

In other words, the inventors have sought to propose a new architecture of the propulsion system of a twin-engine or three-engine helicopter.

3. AIMS OF THE INVENTION

The invention aims to provide a new architecture of the propulsion system of a multi-engine helicopter.

The invention also aims to provide an architecture of a propulsion system of a multi-engine helicopter which allows a turboshaft engine to be placed in standby and allows the quick restart thereof.

The invention also aims to provide, in at least one embodiment of the invention, an architecture of a propulsion system which has a mass and a volume which are acceptable for being installed in a helicopter.

The invention also aims to provide, in at least one embodiment of the invention, an architecture of a propulsion system which has a lower cost than the architectures from the prior art that have the same performance.

4. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

In order to achieve this, the invention relates to an architecture of a propulsion system of a multi-engine helicopter, comprising turboshaft engines that are connected to a power transmission gearbox, characterised in that it comprises:

-   -   at least one turboshaft engine among said turboshaft engines,         referred to as a hybrid turboshaft engine, which is capable of         operating in at least one standby mode during a stable flight of         the helicopter, the other turboshaft engines operating alone         during this stable flight,     -   at least one pack for quickly restarting a hybrid turboshaft         engine in order to bring said engine out of said standby mode         and to reach a nominal operating mode,     -   at least one auxiliary power unit that is connected to a restart         pack and is capable of providing this restart pack, on demand,         with power required for bringing said corresponding hybrid         turboshaft engine out of said standby mode.

Therefore, the architecture of the propulsion system of a multi-engine helicopter according to the invention has at least one hybrid turboshaft engine, the other turboshaft engines being non-hybrid and each hybrid turboshaft engine being capable of operating in a standby mode. The architecture of the invention is therefore asymmetrical because it has at least one hybrid turboshaft engine and at least one non-hybrid turboshaft engine.

Furthermore, the architecture provides at least one restart pack supplied with current by an auxiliary power unit, thus making it possible to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art linked to the use of a battery-like or supercapacitor-like energy storage source.

An auxiliary power unit (referred to in the following by the abbreviation APU) of this type ensures that a restart pack of a hybrid turboshaft engine has a permanent electricity supply, regardless of the atmospheric conditions (in particular regardless of the temperature), the supply also being constant over time (no aging effect).

This APU can, for example, comprise a thermal engine (such as a connected gas power turbine or a two-stroke or four-stroke petrol or diesel engine) and a starter-generator capable of restarting the combustion of the unit and of supplying the required electrical power to the electrotechnical pack.

An architecture according to the invention is particularly suitable for helicopters that already have an auxiliary power unit intended, for example, for supplying non-propulsive, electrical, mechanical, hydraulic and/or pneumatic power during all the flight phases in which the turboshaft engines are not able to do so: on the ground, in the transition phases (take off, landing), in the approach phases, etc. The use of this APU together with a restart pack of an architecture according to the invention thus makes it possible to dispense with an energy storage system for assisting a turboshaft engine in standby.

A restart pack of an architecture according to the invention is, for example, an electrotechnical, pyrotechnic, pneumatic or hydraulic pack. Throughout the rest of the text, reference will be made in particular to an electrotechnical restart pack, with the understanding that the invention also covers an architecture provided with a pyrotechnic, pneumatic or hydraulic restart pack.

Advantageously, an auxiliary power unit has an economical standby function, with the chamber ignited and at low speed, and a function of quickly leaving this standby mode in order to quickly provide its maximum power to the electrotechnical pack to restart the hybrid turboshaft engine. The electrical power is made available within a time period that is compatible with the flight safety requirements, in particular in the event of a turboshaft engine in standby being restarted in an emergency, or in the event of a non-hybrid turboshaft engine being lost.

Advantageously, an architecture according to the invention comprises:

-   -   just one hybrid turboshaft engine capable of operating in at         least one standby mode during a stable flight of the helicopter,         the other turboshaft engines operating alone during this stable         flight,     -   just one pack for quickly restarting said turboshaft engine to         bring said engine out of said standby mode and to reach a         nominal operating mode,     -   just one auxiliary power unit that is connected to said restart         pack and capable of providing said restart pack, on demand, with         power required for bringing said hybrid turboshaft engine out of         said standby mode.

An architecture that has just one hybrid turboshaft engine, just one restart pack and just one auxiliary power unit connected to said restart pack means that the number of components can be reduced. Furthermore, this limits the total weight of the propulsion system. An architecture of this kind thus combines the advantages of an SC optimisation, owing to the possibility of placing a turboshaft engine in standby, with reduced size and weight.

Advantageously and according to this variant, the architecture comprises: a low DC voltage onboard network (referred to in the following by the abbreviation OBN) for supplying power to helicopter equipment, at least one source of electric power for said onboard network, and said auxiliary power unit is connected to said onboard network by means of an AC/DC converter.

Said auxiliary power unit is connected to the electrotechnical pack by means of an AC/DC converter. A converter of this type enables the use of both an auxiliary power unit that supplies an AC voltage, and a DC electrotechnical pack. According to another variant, the auxiliary power unit directly generates a direct current.

The power unit not only makes it possible to provide the energy required for restarting the hybrid turboshaft engine, but also to supply power to the onboard network. The architecture therefore has redundancy in the electrical power generation (by means of an electrical power source and the auxiliary power unit) for supplying power to the OBN, meaning that a possible failure of the first power source for the OBN is compensated for by the second power source.

According to this variant and advantageously, the architecture comprises a contact switch that is arranged between said auxiliary unit and said onboard network and controlled such as to decouple said auxiliary power unit from said onboard network when said hybrid turboshaft engine is restarted in an emergency.

According to this variant, the auxiliary power unit can supply all of its power to the hybrid turboshaft engine in order to restart it. Indeed, the contact switch makes it possible to decouple the auxiliary unit from the onboard network such that all the power from the auxiliary unit is intended for the turboshaft engine. The OBN supply is maintained by the power source, which thus compensates for the auxiliary unit being unavailable.

The contact switch can be arranged upstream or downstream of the AC/DC converter.

Advantageously and according to this variant, the source of electrical power for said onboard network is selected from the group comprising:

-   -   at least one current generator that is arranged between said         power gearbox and said onboard network and is associated with an         AC/DC converter     -   a starter-generator that is arranged between a non-hybrid         turboshaft engine and said onboard network.

According to another variant, the auxiliary power unit can be placed into standby during the cruise flight phases and so can no longer carry out the generation function. In this case, the architecture has to comprise two electrical power sources for the OBN. For example, a first electrical power source is a generator that is arranged between the PTG and the OBN and associated with an AC-DC converter, and a second electrical power source is a starter-generator that is arranged between a non-hybrid turboshaft engine and the OBN.

Advantageously and according to this variant, said generator is capable of providing an AC voltage of 115 volts and said associated converter is capable of providing a DC voltage of 28 volts.

Advantageously and according to the invention said quick restart pack comprises: an electrical machine capable of restarting said hybrid turboshaft engine when leaving standby in normal conditions, and a device for leaving standby in an emergency that is capable of restarting said hybrid turboshaft engine when leaving standby in emergency conditions.

A turboshaft engine comprises, as is known, a gas generator and a free turbine that is supplied with the gases from the gas generator. The gas generator comprises a shaft and a combustion chamber that is supplied with fuel.

A mode for leaving standby in an emergency is a mode in which the combustion chamber is ignited and the shaft of the gas generator is brought to a speed of between 80 and 105% within a period of less than 10 seconds following an order to leave standby.

A mode for leaving standby normally is a mode in which the combustion chamber is ignited and the shaft of the gas generator is brought to a speed of between 80 and 105% within a period of between 10 seconds and 1 minute following an order to leave standby mode.

The electrical machine can be an electrical machine operating using alternating or direct current.

Advantageously and according to the invention, said device for leaving standby in an emergency is an electrotechnical, pyrotechnic, pneumatic or hydraulic device.

Advantageously and according to the invention, said auxiliary power unit is connected to the restart pack by means of an AC/DC converter.

The invention also relates to a helicopter comprising a propulsion system, characterised in that said propulsion system has an architecture according to the invention.

The invention also relates to an architecture of a propulsion system of a multi-engine helicopter, and to a helicopter equipped with a propulsion system having an architecture of this kind, characterised in combination by all or some of the features mentioned above or in the following.

5. LIST OF DRAWINGS

Other aims, features and advantages of the invention will emerge from reading the following description, which is given purely by way of non-limiting example and relates to the accompanying FIG. 1, which is a schematic view of an architecture of a propulsion system of a twin-engine helicopter according to an embodiment of the invention.

6. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an architecture of a propulsion system of a twin-engine helicopter according to an embodiment of the invention. This architecture comprises two turboshaft engines 1, 2 that are connected to a power transmission gearbox 3. Each turboshaft engine 1, 2 is controlled by its own inspection-control device, which is not shown in the FIGURE for reasons of clarity.

As is known, each turboshaft engine further comprises a gas generator and a free turbine that is rigidly connected to an output shaft rotated by the gas generator. The output shaft of each free turbine is suitable for inducing the movement of the power transmission gearbox 3 (referred to in the following by the abbreviation PTG), which itself drives the rotor of the helicopter which is equipped with blades having a variable pitch.

According to the invention, the turboshaft engine 1 is a hybrid turboshaft engine that is capable of operating in at least one standby mode during a stable flight of the helicopter.

This standby mode is preferably selected from the following operating modes:

-   -   a standby mode referred to as normal idling, in which the         combustion chamber is ignited and the shaft of the gas generator         rotates at a speed of between 60 and 80% of the nominal speed,     -   a standby mode referred to as normal super-idling mode, in which         the combustion chamber is ignited and the shaft of the gas         generator rotates at a speed of between 20 and 60% of the         nominal speed,     -   a standby mode referred to as assisted super idling, in which         the combustion chamber is ignited and the shaft of the gas         generator rotates, with mechanical assistance, at a speed of         between 20 and 60% of the nominal speed,     -   a standby mode referred to as turning, in which the combustion         chamber is extinguished and the shaft of the gas generator         rotates, with mechanical assistance, at a speed of between 5 and         20% of the nominal speed,     -   a standby mode referred to as shutdown, in which the combustion         chamber is extinguished and the shaft of the gas generator is at         a complete stop.

The architecture further comprises an electrotechnical pack 5, 6 for quickly restarting the hybrid turboshaft engine 1 in order to bring it out of the standby mode and to reach a nominal operating mode.

This restart pack 5, 6 is supplied with electricity by an auxiliary power unit 11 (referred to in the following by the abbreviation APU) by means of an AC/DC converter 10. This auxiliary engine provides non-propulsive power to the electrotechnical pack 5, 6 on demand to allow said pack to bring the hybrid turboshaft engine 1 out of its standby mode.

This APU 11 can, for example, comprise a thermal engine (such as a connected gas power turbine or a two-stroke or four-stroke petrol or diesel engine) and a starter-generator capable of restarting the combustion of the APU and of providing the necessary electrical power to the electrotechnical pack. Preferably, the APU provides an AC voltage of 115 volts.

The AC/DC converter 10 enables the high AC voltage of 115 volts supplied by the APU 11 to be converted into high DC voltage required for restarting the turboshaft engine 1. According to other embodiments, the APU directly provides a DC voltage, and so there is no need for a voltage converter 10.

The architecture further comprises a low-voltage onboard network 7, preferably of 28 volts (referred to in the following by the abbreviation OBN), for supplying power to helicopter equipment during flight.

This OBN 7 is supplied with current by the APU 11 by means of a high AC/low DC voltage converter, and by a starter-generator 4 that is connected to the turboshaft engine 2 and directly provides low DC voltage. The OBN 7 further supplies power to a battery 8 for storing 28 volt energy. According to another variant (not shown in the FIGURE), the OBN 7 is supplied with power by a generator installed on the PTG 3.

To prevent the restart of the turboshaft engine 1 being disrupted, a contact switch 12 is arranged between the OBN 7 and the APU 11 to decouple the OBN 7 and the APU 11 when all the electrical power in the APU 11 is required to bring the turboshaft engine 1 out of the standby mode.

Preferably, the APU provides an AC voltage of 115 volts and the OBN 7 is a 28 DC volt network. This APU 11 can also directly supply power to specific equipment 9 of the helicopter.

According to the embodiment in FIG. 1, the quick restart pack comprises an electrical machine 5 that is capable of restarting the hybrid turboshaft engine 1 when leaving standby in normal conditions, and a device 6 for leaving standby in an emergency that is capable of restarting the turboshaft engine 1 when leaving standby in emergency conditions.

This device 6 for leaving standby in an emergency is, for example, an electrical, pyrotechnic, pneumatic or hydraulic device.

According to another embodiment of the invention (not shown in the FIGURE), the APU is designed to provide a DC voltage and the electrical machine is designed to operate using alternating current. In this case, an inverter is arranged between the APU and the electrical machine to rectify the current and to power the electrical machine by means of the energy produced by the APU.

The invention is not limited to the described embodiments only. In particular, the architecture can comprise three turboshaft engines for the equipment of a three-engine helicopter. 

1. Architecture of a propulsion system of a multi-engine helicopter, comprising turboshaft engines that are connected to a power transmission gearbox, wherein the architecture comprises: at least one hybrid turboshaft engine among said turboshaft engines, which is capable of operating in at least one standby mode during a stable flight of the helicopter, the other turboshaft engines operating alone during this stable flight; at least one restart pack for quickly restarting a hybrid turboshaft engine in order to bring said engine out of said standby mode and to reach a nominal operating mode; at least one auxiliary power unit that is connected to the at least one restart pack and is capable of providing said restart pack, on demand, with power required for bringing said corresponding hybrid turboshaft engine out of said standby mode.
 2. Architecture according to claim 1, wherein it comprises: just one hybrid turboshaft engine capable of operating in at least one standby mode during a stable flight of the helicopter, the other turboshaft engines operating alone during this stable flight, just one restart pack for quickly restarting said hybrid turboshaft engine in order to bring said engine out of said standby mode and to reach a nominal operating mode, just one auxiliary power unit that is connected to said just one restart pack and is capable of providing said restart pack, on demand, with power necessary for bringing said hybrid turboshaft engine out of said standby mode.
 3. Architecture according to claim 2, wherein it comprises: a low DC voltage onboard network for supplying power to helicopter equipment during flight, at least one source of electrical power for said onboard network, wherein said auxiliary power unit is connected to said onboard network by an AC/DC converter.
 4. Architecture according to claim 3, wherein it comprises a contact switch that is arranged between said auxiliary unit and said onboard network and is controlled such as to decouple said auxiliary power unit from said onboard network when said hybrid turboshaft engine is restarted in an emergency.
 5. Architecture according to claim 3, wherein said electrical power source of said onboard network is selected from the group consisting of: at least one current generator that is arranged between said power transmission gearbox and said onboard network and is associated with an AC-DC converter, and a starter-generator that is arranged between a non-hybrid turboshaft engine and said onboard network.
 6. Architecture according to claim 5, wherein said generator is capable of providing an AC voltage of 115 volts and wherein said associated converter is capable of providing a DC voltage of 28 volts.
 7. Architecture according to claim 1, wherein at least one quick restart pack comprises an electrical machine that is capable of restarting at least one hybrid turboshaft engine when leaving standby in normal conditions, and a device for leaving standby in an emergency that is capable of restarting said hybrid turboshaft engine when leaving standby in emergency conditions.
 8. Architecture according to claim 7, wherein said device for leaving standby in an emergency can be an electrotechnical, pyrotechnic, pneumatic or hydraulic device.
 9. Architecture according to claim 1, wherein at least one auxiliary power unit is connected to a restart pack by an AC/DC converter.
 10. Helicopter comprising a propulsion system, wherein said propulsion system has an architecture according to claim
 1. 